| To do: Document the absurdly long opening theme. |
Sonic & Knuckles + Sonic 3D Blast + worse gameplay = Sonic Blast.
Level Select
Press Up, Up, Up, Down, Down, Down, 1, 2, 1, 2, Start at the title screen.
Unused Text
A build date is present at 0xC0:
GG SONIC 96
Ver E3 ROM
1996/05/01 @SEGA
/Aspect Co.,Ltd
This predates the earliest available prototype (dated May 31, 1996), which also contains this text.
The build date is very likely September 10, 1996, as a build labeled "Prototype 910" is bit-for-bit identical to the final ROM.
Error Handler
All of the 8-bit Sonic titles developed by Aspect contain a generic error handler routine at ROM 70. While the other games' routines consist of some variation on "print an error message and reset", the Sonic Blast handler simply freezes the game by going into an infinite loop. Since the game doesn't call this routine and the Z80 has no hardware error trapping, this code will only execute in the extremely unlikely event that a bug coincidentally causes the game to jump directly into it.
Unused Graphics
Present in the graphics for Sonic is this unused animation of the Strike Dash ability, which was in Sonic Chaos and Sonic Triple Trouble. All that remains of this move is this animation, which is stored with a vastly different object palette than used in the final game. (The above sprite animation was given a proper palette for visual clarity.)
Regional Differences
US/Europe |
Japan |
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The game was known as G Sonic in Japan, so the title screen reflects this.
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Sega Genesis | Sonic the Hedgehog (Prototype) • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Prototypes) • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Prototype) • Sonic & Knuckles (Prototypes) • Sonic 3 & Knuckles • Sonic 3D Blast (Prototypes) |
Sega Master System | Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 • Sonic Chaos (Prototypes) • Sonic Blast |
Game Gear | Sonic the Hedgehog (Prototype) • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Prototype) • Sonic Chaos (Prototypes) • Sonic Triple Trouble (Prototypes) • Sonic Labyrinth • Sonic Blast (Prototypes) |
Arcade | SegaSonic the Hedgehog (Prototype) |
Sega CD | Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Prototypes) |
32X | Knuckles' Chaotix (Prototypes) |
Windows | Sonic the Hedgehog CD (1996) • Sonic 3D Blast • Sonic Heroes • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2004) (Demo) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I • Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011) • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2011) • Sonic Generations (Demos) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (Prototype) • Sonic Adventure 2 • Sonic Lost World • Sonic Mania • Sonic Forces • Sonic Colors: Ultimate • Sonic Frontiers • Sonic Superstars |
Sega Saturn | Sonic X-treme • Sonic 3D Blast (Prototype) |
Dreamcast | Sonic Adventure (Prototypes) • Sonic Adventure 2 (Prototypes) |
Neo Geo Pocket Color | Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (Prototypes) |
GameCube | Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (Demo) • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (Prototypes) • Sonic Heroes (Prototypes) • Shadow the Hedgehog |
Game Boy Advance | Sonic Advance (Prototype) • Sonic Advance 2 (Prototype) • Sonic Advance 3 (Prototype) • Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis |
PlayStation 2 | Sonic Heroes (Prototype) • Shadow the Hedgehog • Sonic Unleashed |
Xbox | Sonic Heroes (Prototype) • Shadow the Hedgehog |
I-Mode, J2ME | Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |
N-Gage | Sonic N |
Nintendo DS | Sonic Rush (Demo) • Sonic Rush Adventure • Sonic Colors (Demo) |
Xbox 360 | Sonic the Hedgehog (Demo) • Sonic Unleashed (Preview) • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (Prototypes) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic Generations (Demos) • Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011) (Demo) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II • Sonic Adventure 2 |
Wii | Sonic Unleashed • Sonic Colors • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic and the Secret Rings • Sonic and the Black Knight |
PlayStation 3 | Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic Unleashed • Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I • Sonic Generations (Demos) • Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011) (Demo) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II • Sonic Adventure 2 |
Nintendo 3DS | Sonic Generations • Sonic Lost World |
Wii U | Sonic Lost World |
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Sonic Mania • Sonic Forces • Sonic Colors: Ultimate • Sonic Frontiers • Sonic Superstars |
Amazon Luna | Sonic Mania • Sonic Colors: Ultimate |
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X | Sonic Frontiers • Sonic Superstars |
iOS, Android, tvOS | Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (Prototype) • Sonic the Hedgehog • Sonic the Hedgehog 2 • Sonic the Hedgehog CD (Demo) |
Ouya, NVIDIA Shield | Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (Prototypes) • Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (Prototype) |
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Racing Games |
Game Gear | Sonic Drift • Sonic Drift 2 |
Windows | Sonic R • Sonic Riders • Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed • Team Sonic Racing |
Sega Saturn | Sonic R (Preview) |
PlayStation 2 | Sonic Riders (Prototype) • Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity |
PlayStation 3, Wii U | Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed |
GameCube, Xbox | Sonic Riders |
Nintendo DS | Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing |
PlayStation Portable | Sonic Rivals • Sonic Rivals 2 |
Xbox 360 | Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed • Sonic Free Riders |
Wii | Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing • Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity |
Nintendo 3DS | Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed |
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Luna | Team Sonic Racing |
Adobe Flash | Sonic Rivals Dash |
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Sports/Fighting Games |
Sega Genesis | Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (Prototypes) |
Sega Master System | Sonic Spinball |
Game Gear | Sonic Spinball (Prototypes) |
Arcade | Sonic Championship • Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games |
Game Boy Advance | Sonic Battle |
Nintendo DS | Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games |
Xbox 360 | Sonic the Fighters |
Wii | Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games • Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games |
Nintendo 3DS | Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games |
Wii U | Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games |
J2ME | Sonic at the Olympic Games |
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Puzzle Games |
Sega Genesis | Sonic Eraser • Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Prototypes) |
Sega Master System, Game Gear | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine |
Arcade | SegaSonic Bros. |
Adobe Flash | Sonic Jigsaw 2 |
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Educational |
Arcade | SegaSonic Cosmo Fighter |
Sega Master System | Sonic's Edusoft |
Windows | Sonic's Schoolhouse |
Sega Pico | Sonic the Hedgehog's Gameworld (Prototypes) • Tails and the Music Maker (Prototypes) |
Leapster | Sonic X |
LeapFrog Didj | Sonic the Hedgehog |
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Sonic Boom |
Wii U | Rise of Lyric (Prototype) |
Nintendo 3DS | Shattered Crystal • Fire & Ice |
Adobe Flash | Link 'n Smash |
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Compilations |
Sega Genesis | Sonic Classics |
Sega Saturn | Sonic Jam (Demo) |
Windows | Sonic & Knuckles Collection • Sonic Mega Collection Plus • Sonic Origins |
GameCube | Sonic Mega Collection (Prototype) • Sonic Gems Collection |
PlayStation 2 | Sonic Mega Collection Plus • Sonic Gems Collection |
Xbox | Sonic Mega Collection Plus |
Nintendo DS | Sonic Classic Collection |
Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch | Sonic Origins |
Game.com | Sonic Jam |
Plug & Play | Super Sonic Gold |
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Other |
Game Gear | Tails' Skypatrol • Tails Adventures |
Sega Saturn | Sonic the Hedgehog into Dreams... |
Dreamcast | Sonic Shuffle (Debug Version) |
Nintendo DS | Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood |
Windows, Mac OS X | The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog |
I-Mode, J2ME | Sonic Jump |
iOS, Android | Sonic Jump • Sonic Dash • Sonic Runners • Sonic Runners Adventure (Prototype) |
Adobe Flash | Sonic The Broad Jump • Sonic and the Black Knight: Knight in Training |